Gluten Intolerance Test

If you get queasy or bloated every time you eat wheat products, a gluten intolerance test may be a good option.

The symptoms of gluten intolerance may include:

If you tell your doctor that you experience any or all of these symptoms each time you eat wheat bread, pasta, and other wheat-based products, he or she may order a gluten intolerance test, also known as a celiac disease test.

The initial gluten intolerance test consists of a complete blood count to detect:

Positive blood tests for any of the above may cause your doctor to order an endoscopy of your small intestine. This procedure involves making a small incision in your abdomen and inserting a tube through which a tiny camera can be inserted. Using the camera, a physician can examine your small intestine. The doctor then takes a tiny piece of your small intestine for testing in a lab to confirm gluten intolerance, also known as celiac disease.

The gluten intolerance test on your lab sample may show that the villi (tiny projections) in your small intestine are flattened. This flattening has been caused by the consumption of gluten, which is the storage protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. If you are gluten intolerant and you eat wheat products, the gluten in wheat flattens the villi in your small intestine, and your body can't properly absorb nutrients or digest food. Then, symptoms may occur.

In some severe cases, your doctor may also conduct a celiac disease test. Celiac disease is an auto-immune condition that causes the body to attack the villi in the small intestine when gluten in present, causing damage and more long term, painful effects.

How do you solve this problem? A reasonable choice would be to eliminate the gluten from your diet. A gluten-free diet can be challenging, but it is not impossible. You can find wheat substitutes, such as corn and rice, in many breads and cereals. There are even gluten-free recipes for pasta.